FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to water, and other liquid, dispensing means and more particularly to such means for use in the dispensing of bottled water.
Water dispensers utilizing replenishable water supply bottles have been used for many years to provide a readily available source of pure water. Such dispensers are particularly desirable in localities where the available tap water is polluted or treated with chemicals. Some of these dispensers have been provided with a heating unit to dispense hot water and others with cooling units to dispense cold water. Still others, have simply dispensed water at ambient or room temperature. Such dispensers have therefore had from one to three or more controllable spigots to enable a person to obtain water of a desired temperature in a suitable drinking glass or the like.
Although dispensers of the above-noted type have been generally satisfactory their use has presented certain problems which have not been heretofore addressed to my knowledge. For example, the spigots of such dispensers have generally comprised elongate sliding valve members which are pressed endwise to open them. However, persons depressing such a valve member tend to push it at different angles to the direction of its movement instead of directly in line with that movement. This eventually results in wear along the sides of the valve member and its guideway, and consequent leakage of water thereat.
Further, such valve members must be held in valve seating positions by springs of sufficient strength to prevent leakage when not in use. Consequently, a certain amount of manual force is required to move a valve member to open a spigot. Heretofore, such valve members usually terminated in finger-operated push buttons or levers which required considerable finger pressure to operate, thus presenting a hardship to elderly persons, those afflicted with a crippling disease, or anyone having low finger strength.
In addition, dispensers of the above type have generally included spigots which extended into the open where dirt and dust from the atmosphere or from persons handling the spigot can collect to give it an unclean appearance and possibly contaminate water being dispensed therefrom.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide means for overcoming the above-noted drawbacks of conventional liquid dispensers.
Another object of the invention is to reduce wear on, and consequent leakage of, spigots for liquid dispensers of the above-noted type.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a housing for a water dispenser including means for enabling a person of low finger strength to readily control the dispensing spigot or spigots of the dispenser.
A further object of the invention is to provide a liquid dispensing apparatus of the above-indicated type with means for minimizing contamination of its spigot(s) by dust and dirt from the atmosphere or by persons using it.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a housing which can be mounted on dispensers of different makes and having different numbers of spigots.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a housing of the above-noted type which is of simple and economical construction, has a pleasing aesthetic appearance and can be readily cleaned.